Birchfield Secondary Modern School

[Chunky AC]

hi chunky i am trying to find out what school someone attended and this school is a possible one...would the name robert (bob) wright mean anything to you..he was the same age as you...actually his first name was frederick but i think he prefered to use his middle name of robert..

cheers

lyn

Hi Lyn, My initial reaction is to say sorry but I do not recall that name. I will however ask my brother, he has a better memory for names. Apologies Chunky

 

[Astoness]

thanks chunky much obliged

lyn

 

[Wobblyclogs]

Hello John, thanks for your reply. Mr. Taylor was exactly as you described him. I cannot remember the shell casings on his can, but I do remember the enormous plimsoll he also used to inflect pain. A bit of a sadist, in fact come to think of it most of the staff were. I suspect it was so recent after the war they used the pupils to vent their frustration on. I also remember Mr. Roberts and Mr Griffith, they both gave me a love of working with wood. Do you recall being called to watch a demonstration, “form class 1, form class 2,” and woe betide anyone that was not ready when they were. I also started in the third stream, and progressed to the first, and stayed on for the extra year for the UEI, exams. After that I did two years evenings and day release at Brooklyn tec. Happy days, and there were girls at Brooklyn. Even more happy days. I have been trying since starting these post to think of the science teachers name at Birchfield and it’s just come to me “Mr. Wall.“ Great guy, loved his classes.
Great to reminisce with you, stay safe. Alf Charles

Thanks Chunky.
Only just found your reply as I have been getting no alerts from the forum. Dunno why! I still don't, so I have to check in once a week! Do you remember the chippie just around the corner from the school, in Aldridge Road? Every lunch hour, a generous portion of chips and mushy peas, eight-pence a throw! That was just over 2.5 new pence! And a glass of warm Vimto in the winter! Then a quick dash to the railway station to catch the daily 'namer' express scorching through Perry Barr! Wasn't all bad at Birchfields.

John

 

[Astoness]

Thanks Chunky.
Only just found your reply as I have been getting no alerts from the forum. Dunno why! I still don't, so I have to check in once a week! Do you remember the chippie just around the corner from the school, in Aldridge Road? Every lunch hour, a generous portion of chips and mushy peas, eight-pence a throw! That was just over 2.5 new pence! And a glass of warm Vimto in the winter! Then a quick dash to the railway station to catch the daily 'namer' express scorching through Perry Barr! Wasn't all bad at Birchfields.

John

john check your settings to make sure you have ticked to receive email alerts to threads that you have posted on

lyn

 

[A Sparks]

@Wobblyclogs I remember the fish and chip shop, when I was at the junior school I think a portion of chips was 4d!

 

[Wobblyclogs]

Thanks Sparks. Well if I got the amount of money wrong I can only claim it was way back in 1950!


I know my mother always gave me a couple of bob per day to get my lunch. Chips; not very nutritious I agree, but it's only recently I found out that chips in those days were not bad because of the dripping, but because of the starch in the spuds; and these days, also because of the processed trans-fats they now cook them in.

These discoveries are easy when it's too late to rectify them completely!

Cheers
John

 

[Wobblyclogs]

john check your settings to make sure you have ticked to receive email alerts to threads that you have posted on

lyn

Thanks Lyn. That has now been rectified. I am obliged

Hello John, thanks for your reply. Mr. Taylor was exactly as you described him. I cannot remember the shell casings on his can, but I do remember the enormous plimsoll he also used to inflect pain. A bit of a sadist, in fact come to think of it most of the staff were. I suspect it was so recent after the war they used the pupils to vent their frustration on. I also remember Mr. Roberts and Mr Griffith, they both gave me a love of working with wood. Do you recall being called to watch a demonstration, “form class 1, form class 2,” and woe betide anyone that was not ready when they were. I also started in the third stream, and progressed to the first, and stayed on for the extra year for the UEI, exams. After that I did two years evenings and day release at Brooklyn tec. Happy days, and there were girls at Brooklyn. Even more happy days. I have been trying since starting these post to think of the science teachers name at Birchfield and it’s just come to me “Mr. Wall.“ Great guy, loved his classes.
Great to reminisce with you, stay safe. Alf Charles

Charles.

The Mr. Roberts I remember was my form master in my first year at Birchfield. As I recall, he was a tall, slim Welshman; sallow faced, moustachioed and with an extraordinarily prominent larynx, which, whenever he spoke, used to bob up and down like a 'live thing'. I didn't like him very much, but I tolerated his ways, and he did say I was a natural rugby player; which was probably true; and is why I preferred Soccer! He also managed to drum enough learning into me to promote me from the Third stream in my first year, to the First stream when I moved up to the second year!

Birchfields was a milestone for me, but I much enjoyed the move back to Beeches Road Seniors, which opened in 1951. For one thing it was 'co-ed', a decided advantage to a red-blooded teenager!

I got my own passion for woodworking from Vic Wyatt at Beeches School by the way!

Cheers
John

 

[Astoness]

Hi Lyn, My initial reaction is to say sorry but I do not recall that name. I will however ask my brother, he has a better memory for names. Apologies Chunky

hi chunky was just wondering if you managed to ask your brother if he remembered the name i was searching...

thanks

lyn

 

[Chunky AC]

hi chunky was just wondering if you managed to ask your brother if he remembered the name i was searching...

thanks

lyn

Hello Lyn,
Yes, I did ask and unfortunately he also has no recollection of the name you are seeking. Apologies for not being able to assist on this occasion. Regards Chunky.

 

[rhubarb]

Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School


tony pratt played for rochdale and he got married up there, i went to his wedding and some of the touring fiji,s were there too.john osbourn and toni iommi were at the shool when i was there, so was albert chapman who went around the world roadying for them and managed the rum runner also elbow room.johnny "ogre" oldham died this year and had a full page obituary in the press.he had flew spitfires and wellington bombers in the war,played cricket for lancashire and centre half for bolton wanderers.he met churchill and was honoured. mr hunt was a maths teacher and was the best. he taught his own son, Gerraint, and he would not have done that if there was someone better.mr taylor taught music and RE. Osbourn andIommi were interested in niether.Of course there were some idiots at the school, there is in all schools.But on the whole the education was good, for those who wished to avail themselves of it.I,ts a pity there arn,t more teachers about today of the quality of that era.Most of them were Welsh.

Hi i was in same class as Osborne Iommi and chapman also price Colbert cooper teachers were music Lennie Lowe English Evans r e Taylor metalwork lane will maybe remember more another time

 

[johnduffy]

Hello John, thanks for your reply. Mr. Taylor was exactly as you described him. I cannot remember the shell casings on his can, but I do remember the enormous plimsoll he also used to inflect pain. A bit of a sadist, in fact come to think of it most of the staff were. I suspect it was so recent after the war they used the pupils to vent their frustration on. I also remember Mr. Roberts and Mr Griffith, they both gave me a love of working with wood. Do you recall being called to watch a demonstration, “form class 1, form class 2,” and woe betide anyone that was not ready when they were. I also started in the third stream, and progressed to the first, and stayed on for the extra year for the UEI, exams. After that I did two years evenings and day release at Brooklyn tec. Happy days, and there were girls at Brooklyn. Even more happy days. I have been trying since starting these post to think of the science teachers name at Birchfield and it’s just come to me “Mr. Wall.“ Great guy, loved his classes.
Great to reminisce with you, stay safe. Alf Charles

Mr. Jenkins, (Science) that being when I joined the school in 1960 to 64.

 

[johnduffy]

Hello Tony and all ex Birchfield Secondary Modern School pupils of the 60's. Howard Johnson here ( 1962-1965 ) Sorry " Frantic " don't know where " bug house " came from but after 62 this was a brilliant school until 65 when it was time to evacutate when the walls decided it was time to rest.

Had a great time whilst there, met some great mates, learned to play rugby which became a great part of my life, learned to play music ( trombone )in the brass band thanks to " Spud" Taylor, learned to dodge flying blackboard rubbers, and thanks to Mr G.Williams learned to write with my left hand when I broke my right arm in the playground playing in goals at lunch time break.

Teachers :- Mr Tom Brassington (headmaster) Jim Riddesdale ( deputy head ) Mr Evans ( boggy to his mates ), Mr Ifion.Williams, Mr Obongawna ( Hobnob to his mates ), Mr Lane ( Bronco to his mates ) Mr Griffiths

Pupils to remember :- Dave Robinson, John Lakin, Ralf Cahn, Paul Robinson, Phil Storer ( good footballer ), Micky Shakespear, Bernie Burrows, Steve Holloway, Warren Raybould, Brian Hill, Dave Betteridge to name a few.

It would be great to hear from any of you guys.

Mr. Jones P E, Mr. Davis History, Mr. Cherrington History, Mr Thomas Art, and Mr. Nichols no idea what is subject was?

 

[Richard Dye]

Hello John, thanks for your reply. Mr. Taylor was exactly as you described him. I cannot remember the shell casings on his can, but I do remember the enormous plimsoll he also used to inflect pain. A bit of a sadist, in fact come to think of it most of the staff were. I suspect it was so recent after the war they used the pupils to vent their frustration on. I also remember Mr. Roberts and Mr Griffith, they both gave me a love of working with wood. Do you recall being called to watch a demonstration, “form class 1, form class 2,” and woe betide anyone that was not ready when they were. I also started in the third stream, and progressed to the first, and stayed on for the extra year for the UEI, exams. After that I did two years evenings and day release at Brooklyn tec. Happy days, and there were girls at Brooklyn. Even more happy days. I have been trying since starting these post to think of the science teachers name at Birchfield and it’s just come to me “Mr. Wall.“ Great guy, loved his classes.
Great to reminisce with you, stay safe. Alf Charles

Finally someone else who took the UEI (from William Murdoch)…..

 

[johnduffy]

Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School



Just reading your post (I went to Birchfield Juniors) if I recall correctly, Len Ablethorpe went on to become a member of Raymond Frogatt's Band, originally called the Monopoly. I think he was the drummer - did he have ginger hair? I know he lived in Perry Barr.

Speaking with Len early last year, he told me he was coming over Sept or Oct for a reunion down Summer Lane at a pub they all used back in the day, but sadly lost contact with Len on Facebook when I left for a couple of months, I passed on a load of autographs, those included the The Prospector’s, the band that he’d formed at about the time he left Birchfield Road in 1964. I passed on a class leaving photograph of 4/m the other half of 4/2, not the photo with Ozzie on that was 4/b (stood for building), the class was taken by Mr. Lane Thursdays prior to leaving to give us insight in trades . And just out of interest I’ve learnt that one of the Phillips brothers as passed away.